Stroke Care

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When a patient comes to the hospital with stroke symptoms, it’s crucial to make a proper diagnosis quickly in order to begin treatment to minimize the effects of a stroke. Commonwealth Health’s stroke care team delivers potentially life-saving care for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, and can perform treatment options such as:

• Angioplasty and stent placement to open blocked arteries and veins
• Embolizing agents (clotting medications) delivered by catheter to stop blood flow resulting from hemorrhagic strokes
• Thrombolitic therapy deliver clot-dissolving medicine to treat ischemic strokes
• Minimally invasive surgery to remove a clot, or repair arteries and veins

Stroke Symptoms

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg - especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding.
• Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If you recognize any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. To determine if a person is having a stroke, remember to B.E.F.A.S.T.

• Balance - Loss of balance, headache or dizziness?
• Eyes - Blurred vision?
• Face - Ask the person to smile. Does one side droop?
• Arms - Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he or she repeat the sentence correctly?
• Time - If the person is showing any of these symptoms, time is vitally important. Call 911 immediately.

As a certified Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center, Commonwealth Health’s stroke care team has specialized training in treating stroke. The certification program, developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, recognizes hospitals that provide quality stroke care and support better outcomes.

Primary Stroke Centers:

• Are prepared to treat all types of strokes faster than non-certified hospitals.
• Offer 24/7 stroke team access.
• Utilize imaging technology and protocols.
• Provide seamless integration with the ER.

At Commonwealth Health, we strive to provide:

• Speed – Treatments given during the first three hours after a stroke may greatly reduce or even reverse the effects of stroke.
• Experience – Our doctors, nurses, emergency professionals and other specialists meet high educational standards, and are specially trained to identify stroke symptoms and administer treatments.
• Technology – Our stroke care providers utilize testing and imaging technology, allowing them to identify the type of stroke within minutes so they are able to begin treatment.

Following a stroke, our rehabilitation care is there to help individuals regain their independence. Commonwealth Health’s multidisciplinary rehabilitation team provides caring, personalized assistance to help patients meet their goals.

Awards and Accreditations

Wilkes-Barre General Hospital

• Certified Primary Stroke Center (Gold Seal of Approval by Joint Commission)